Casing head



Nov. 3, 1931. w. L. McLAlNE GAS ING HEAD Filed Feb. 5, 1929 6 3 R A, l m m M 9 6 z 5 4 7 8 .u 9l- W 3 W y W A L Z III?! M 2 7 w w n. v mw M 4 y m NA m m Patented Nov. 3, 19 31 :PATENT OFFICE,

wnmur 1.. mums, oraos memes, camroam casme arm) 3 1 Application filed February 5, 1929. Serial No. 837,858.

' My invention relates to oil-well drilling apparatus and relates particularly to apparatus for closin wells when they unexoectedly start to ow by reason of high sub- ;erranean pressures. Very often a well will ;tart to flow before full preparations for hanlling the oil have been made. Also, gas pockets may be drilled into, which will allow gas to flow from the well creating a dangerus condition, which may result 1n 'a fire or EGllOllS damage to property.

It is an object of myinvention to rovide i. casing head which is designed set at the low of gas or oil from the well may be read- ;ly stopped. This will permit apparatus to )e installed to properly handle the gas or oil. ind-will eliminate the fire hazard.

A low of gas or oil may start during drill- Lng operations when the drillipe is in the well, when the drill-pipe'has een removed Erom the well or when tubing has been installed in the well L; is one ofthe objects of my invention to provide a casing head which has facilities to: closing the well against oil or gas flow. under any of the above mentioned condinuns.

Another otject 01 the invention is to rovide a casing head having a valve whic is :losed when the casing is pulledand held :losed by the well pressure.

Other objects and advantages of my invenaion will be made evident hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings which are foriiagrammatic purposes only,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic View showing my :asing'head installed on a pipe string.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevational sectional view showing the manner in which the well is scaled when the drill-pipe or tubing in the well.

Referring to Fig. 1 the numeral 11- represents a well having a well-casing 12 installed therein. Secured to the upper end of the well-casing 12 is a casing head 14 incorporating the features ofqmy invention. The numeral 15 represents a derrick having a rotary nachine 16 through which a drill-pipe 17 may extend. The drill-pipe 17 extends downward through the casing head 14, the well-casing 12 and to the bottom of the well, where drilling operations are taking place.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2 I will "describe the details of construction of my invention.

My invention provides a body 20 which has an integral connection 21 at the lower end thereof provided with internal threads or a flange 22 adapted to receive the well-casing 12. The well-casing 12 is in open communica\ tion with a lower chamber 23 which is pro vided by the body 20. One side of the lower chamber 23 is provided with a large openin or hand-hole 25, which is ordinarily close by a cover 26, the cover 26 being held in place by stud bolts 27. A threaded opening 29 is formed in the body 20 in communication with the lower chamber 23 opposite from thehandhole into which opening 29 a pipe 30 is secured, this pipe 30 havinga shut-01f walve31. The upper part of the body 20-provides an upper chamber 33. The upper chamber 33 has a cylindrical portion 34 and a frusto-conical portion 36 adapted to receive a packing member 37. Adapted to be clamped against a top face 38'of the body 20 is a gland 39,

this gland 39 having a short frusto-conical projection 40, which extends into engagement with the upper portion of the frusto-conical seat 36. The gland 39 has a flange 41 which .is clamped against theupper face 38 of the body 20 by bolts 42, these bolts-42 being pivoted on pins 43 which extend through lugs 44 formed on the upper part of the body 20. Between the lower-part of the projection of the gland 39 and the phcking member 37 is a compression ring 37 The bolts 42 may be swung into slots 45 formed in the flange 47 of. the body 20 and in similar slots formed in the flange 41 of the gland 39 respectively. The gland 39 has an opening 48- formed through it and an extension: 49 exteriorlythreaded at 59 so that a cap 51, as shown in Fig. 2, may be threadedly secured to it.

Formed between the lower chamber 23 and the upper chamber 33 in an annular,seat 53. The annular seat 53 is adapted to be engaged by a face .54 of a doo -valve 55 when the doorvalve is in closed position. The door-valve has an annular centralizing lip 56 which extends inside the seat 53. Formed at one edge of the door-valve 55 is a pair of lugs 57 having rectangular openings 58 formed Formed in the body is an opening 70 in communication with the lower chamber 23 and an opening 71 in communication with the upper chamber 33. Threaded in these open ings 70 and 71 so as to be in communication with the lower and upper chambers 23 and 33 is a by-pass pipe 72 having a by-pass valve 73 ,which is normally closed. I will now describe the operation of'my invention under different conditions. I

During the drilling of the well the casing head may be assembled, as shown in F i 2, with the packer 37 and the gland 39 in pfiice. The opening through the, body which consists 'of the lower and upper chambers 23 and 33 is sufliciently large to accommodate the drillpipe 17 or a tubing which may be extended into the well. The opening 48 through the gland 39 is also large enough so that a coupling and a drill-bit may extend through it. During operations the parts are assembled as shown in Fig. 2, with the exception of the packer 37, ring 37 gland 39 and ring 51. The pipe 30 may be used to convey rotary fluid from the well during thistime.

If a gas pocket is encountered or if the well starts to flow there will be a disturbance and the operator will quickly have the packer 37 and ring '37 installed in place, after which the gland 39 is placed on the upper face 38 of the body 20 and is clamped down by the bolts 42 so that the packer 37 is compressed forming a tight seal around the drill-pipe 17. The drill pipe is then lowered until a coupling 7 6 thereof rests against the compression ring 37 which in turn compresses The entire weight of the drill-pipe is then supported by the packer 37. The locking cap 51 is threaded upon the extension 49 of the gland and has a flange 7 7 adapted to engage the upper end of the coupling 76 to provide additional pressure on the packing 37. The packer 37 is preferably made in two parts so that it may be conveniently installed in place. Heavy mud may then be pumped into the well through the pipe 30, thus checln'ng the flow of gas and oil.

From the foregoing description itwill be seen that my invention provides a casing head which will be effective in sealing fluid leakages of a well.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a casing head of the class described, the combination of: a body; walls forming an opening in said body through which a tubing is adapted to extend; a seat provided in said opening adjacent the upper end of said body; a packer adapted to fit in said seat; a gland the packer 37 connected to said body and having a portion slidably mounted in said seat opening, said gland having an opening adapted toreceive a coupling of said tubing; means interposed betweensaid gland and said packer for supporting said coupling in said gland; clamping means for clamping said gland to said body; andmeans adjustable on said gland for compressing said packer to form a tight seal around said tubing.

2. In a casing head of the class-described, the combination of: a body; walls forming an opening in said body through which a tubing is adapted to extend; a seat provided in said opening adjacent the upper end of said body; a packer adapted to fit in said seat; a gland connected to said body and having a portion slidably'mounted in said seat opening, said gland'having an opening to receive a coupling of said tubing; a compression ring interposed between said gland and'said packer, said ring supporting said coupling in said gland; clamping means for clamping said gland to said body; and means adjustable on said gland for varying the compression on said packer. I

3. In a casing head of the class described, the combination of: a body; walls forming an opening in said body through which a tubing is adapted to extend; a seat provided in said opening adjacent the upper ends of said body;

' a packer adapted to fit in said seat; a gland adapted for non-threaded connection to said body and having a portion projecting within said seat, said gland having an opening to receive a coupling of said tubing; a supporting element for said coupling interposed between said gland and said packer, said element being engaged by said coupling in a manner to support said tubing in said gland; clamping means for clamping said gland to said body; and means adj ustablc on said gland for varying the compression on said packer.

4. In a casing head of the class described, the combination of: a body; walls forming an opening in said body through which a tubing is adapted to extend: a seat provided in said opening adjacent the upper end of.

said body; a packer adapted to fit on said seat; a gland non-threadedly connected to said body and having a portion projecting within said seat, said gland having an opening to receive a coupling of said tubing; a ring interposed between said gland and said packer, said ring being engaged by said coupling in a manner to suport said coupling in said gland: clamping means for clamping said gland to said body; and means on said gland adapted to adjustment to engage said coupling 'for compressing said packer to form a tight seal around said tubing.

5. In a casing head of the class described. the combination of: a body; walls forming an opening in said body through which a tubingis adapted to extend; a seat provided in said opening adjacent the upper end of said body; a packer adapted to fit on said seat; a gland connected to said body and hav-' ing a portion projecting Within said seat, said gland having an opening to receive a coupling of said tubing; a ring element interposed between said gland and said packer, said element being engaged by said coupling in a manner to support said coupling in said gland; clamping means for clamping said gland in said body; and adjustable means on said gland adapted for engagement with said coupling for varying the compression placed upon said packer.

6. Ina casing head of the class described,

the combination of: a body having an opening through which a pipe casing is adapted to extend; a seat provided in the upper part of said body opening; a packer adapted to seat on said seat and engaging said pipe casing; a gland non-threadedly connected to said body and having a portion extending into said seat opening; a ring interposed between said gland and said packer, said ring and said packer cooperating to support said pipe casing in said body; clamping'means for clamping said gland to said body, said gland having an opening to receive a coupling of said pipe casing; and auxiliary means on said gland adapted for adjustment to engage said coupling to'hold said packer on said seat.

7. In a casing head of the class described, the combination of: a body having an opening through which a pipe casing is adapted to extend; a seat formed in said opening;

a packer adapted to seat on said seat and engaging said pipe casing; a gland movable in a vertical direction and having a portion extending into said seat opening; a ring interposed between said gland and said packer; clamping means for compressing said packer against said casing, said gland having an opening to receive a coupling of said pipe casing; and auxiliary clamping means on said gland adapted for adjustment to putadditional pressure on said v packer.

8. In a casing head of the class described, the combination of: a body having an opening through which a pipe casing is adapted to extend; a seat formed in the upper part of said body opening; a packer adapted to seat on said seat and engaging said pipe casing; a gland connected to said body and having a portion adapted to slide into said seat opening; a ring interposed between said gland and said packer; clamping means for clamp ing said gland to said body, said gland having an opening to receive a coupling of said pipe casing; and means on said gland adapted for engagement With said coupling to put additional pressure on said packer.

9. In a casing head of the class described, the combination of': a body having an opening through which a pipe casing 1s adapted to extend; a seat formed in the upper art of said body opening; a packer adap to seat on said seat and enga g said pipe casing; a gland adapted to i d placed on said body and having a portion slidably received in said seat opening; a ring interposed between said gland and said packer; clamping means for clamping said gland to said body, said gland having an opening to receive a coupling of said pipe casing; and a cap threaded on said gland, said cap being adapted for adjustment to engage said coupling so as to put additional pressure on said packer.

In testimony whereof, I have'hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 31st day of January, 1929.

' 1 WILLIAM L. MoLAINE. 

